


Three Dresses

by WhatsYourNameMan



Series: I Got Y'All Knuckleheads [1]
Category: Hamilton - Miranda
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Foster Care AU, Foster dad Herc, pretty boy Laf
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-12
Updated: 2017-02-12
Packaged: 2018-09-23 19:28:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,003
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9672794
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WhatsYourNameMan/pseuds/WhatsYourNameMan
Summary: One day Herc catches the dreamy way Laf watches him sew dresses.





	

When Laf was twelve—not long after he came to live with Herc—he liked to help around Herc's shop. Or rather he said he was going to help but ended up just watching Herc sew. Laf thought it was relaxing. He especially liked watching him make the dresses. The way he turned a sheet of fabric into something so beautiful delighted Laf, and he longed to try one on. But instead he had to be content to watch them be created and sold off to some lucky lady. 

One day Herc noticed the dreamy look on Laf's face as he sewed. 

"You know," Herc said, "I could make you a dress if you like." 

Laf startled out of his daydream. "Quelle?" He asked, fear building in his chest. His parents had let him wear dresses and skirts, but his first foster father had given them all away, saying that boys don't wear women's clothes. The second time he found Laf with a skirt he wasn't nearly as kind. He burned the skirt, and Laf swore never to step out of line like that again. 

"I could make you a dress," Herc repeated. His voice showed no indication of this being a trap, but Laf knew to be more cautious. 

"I do not know what you–what you mean," Laf stammered. 

Herc turned off his sewing machine and smiled up at Laf. 

"It's okay, you know," Herc said gently. "Dresses aren't just for girls. I'd be happy to make you as many as you want." 

"I..." Laf hesitated. "I would like that." 

Herc grinned and pulled him over to the wall of fabrics. "Pick out what colors you want while I draw up some designs for you." 

Laf started looking through the fabrics. He was very timid at first, but as he saw all the options his heart filled with excitement. Oh, it had been so long since he last wore a dress! He wanted one of every color, of every pattern, but he knew he had to restrain himself to just a few. He eventually settled on red, white, and blue, one dress for each color of the French flag. 

"Hey, good colors." Herc smiled encouragingly as Laf placed the rolls of fabric on the sewing table. He slid a few papers in front of the boy. "What do you think of these?" 

Laf shuffled through the papers, his heart feeling lighter with each new quickly sketched design. 

"They are beautiful," he said, feeling tears welling in his eyes. "Monsieur Hercules... thank you." 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Laf was getting impatient. For almost a whole month, the dresses were constantly at the back of his mind. He just wanted them to be done. He never said anything about it, though. He knew Herc was busy with his other projects and it wasn't his place to be pushy. 

Finally, Laf walked into the shop after school one day to be stopped at the door by his large foster father. 

"Stay right there," Herc said, heading toward the back of the shop. "And close your eyes." 

Laf did as he was told, squirming with anticipation. He couldn't wait to try them on. He knew he would love them no matter what they looked like. As long as he was wearing a dress again, he would be happy. 

"Okay, open 'em." 

Laf popped his eyes open to see four mannequins in front of him. The first three were wearing simple sundresses: blue, white, and red, just as Laf had requested. The forth, Lad hadn't been expecting. It was a more intricate design, with a lower neck and a fancier cut, and the colors laid out to make it look like a French flag. 

Laf tried not to cry as he moved toward the forth dress. 

"Is it all right?" Herc asked nervously. "I know I didn't clear it with you first, but I thought it'd be a nice surprise."

Laf ran his fingers over the fabric hesitantly, as though scared he might rip it. He finally turned to Herc, still keeping his tears in. 

"C'est magnifique," he whispered. He launched himself onto Herc, wrapping his arms around the taller man. "Thank you, Monsieur Hercules. Thank you so much." 

"Well, what are you waiting for?" Herc laughed. "Go try it on!" 

With Herc's help, Laf pulled the dress off the mannequin, then scurried off to the dressing room to try it on. As he slipped the dress on over his head, he felt something inside of him click into place. This was how he was supposed to look. This was the real Marie-Joseph Paul Yves Roch Gilbert du Motier de Lafayette, Marquis de Lafayette. 

Butterflies filled his stomach as he stepped out of the dressing room to show Herc. What if the man didn't like it on him, or changed his mind and decided to take the dresses away? 

He quickly realized his fears were in vain, however, when Herc clapped his hand over his mouth, a look of pure adoration in his eyes. 

"Lafayette, you look beautiful." 

Here the boy lost all control of his tears. It had been so long since he had been called beautiful, and even longer since he had felt beautiful. He threw himself onto Herc once again, this time sobbing into his chest. Herc wrapped his arms tightly around the boy. He didn't know exactly why this meant so much to Lafayette, but he had an idea. He guessed that someone in the past had told him he couldn't wear dresses. Herc wasn't going to ask if he was right; he didn't really care. All he cared about was that his foster son was happy and comfortable in his own body. 

"Laf," he said, "just know there's nothing you can't ask of me. If you only want to wear dresses, I'll make you a dress for every day of the year. I don't ever want you to be unhappy. Got it?" 

Lafayette nodded against his chest. "Thank you. Thank you thank you thank you."


End file.
